How ”Wonder kids” Ajax made Champions League history with whisk to Semis

Ajax became the first Champions League team to come through three qualifying rounds and reach the semi-finals after dumping Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus out.

Having begun their campaign against Sturm Graz in July, Ajax made history as they reached the Champions League semi-finals.

The Dutch giants have lit up Europe’s elite club competition this season in a sensational run, eliminating defending champions Real Madrid and now the Bianconeri with two stunning second-leg wins away from home.

⭐ Undefeated in the Champions League Group stage
🇪🇸 Beaten and outplayed Real Madrid at the Bernabeu
🇮🇹 Beaten and outplayed Juventus at the Allianz Stadium
🔥 Played superb football
🇳🇱 Top of the Eredivisie
👏 Great young players

Ajax 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cL5ZotjN2f

— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) April 16, 2019

Yet Ajax’s campaign began back in late July, after they finished second in the Eredivisie last term, and no equivalent side in Champions League history can match their progression to this stage.

Ajax have played Sturm Graz, Standard Liege, Dynamo Kiev, AEK Athens, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Madrid and now Juve en route to a last-four meeting with either Manchester City or Tottenham.

ABSOLUTE SCENES!!! 🏆#UCL #juvaja pic.twitter.com/XnmLWdy6Lj

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) April 16, 2019

A towering header from captain Matthijs de Ligt sealed a 2-1 win in Turin for the four-time European champions and a 3-2 aggregate success.

The kid Matthijs de Ligt’s a superstar. What a moment for him & Ajax pic.twitter.com/ZPJhEEXjoo

— 🔴 The Red Debate 🎙 (@TheRedDebate) April 16, 2019

Ajax's Matthijs de Ligt is for real 🔥

– Only 19 years old
– First defender to win Golden Boy (2018)
– Youngest-ever captain in a UCL knockout
– Youngest Ajax player to reach 100 games
– Scored winner to knock out Juventus pic.twitter.com/536HyC6Ljw

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 16, 2019

The Netherlands centre-back is just 19 years and 246 days old and became the youngest player to score in the knockout stages of the Champions League since 1996.

The player on that occasion was also an Ajax youngster, with Nordin Wooter – aged 19 years and 237 days – netting against Panathinaikos.

"We are never satisfied."

"There's so much potential in this team, we are all still quite young and you see us grow every game."

You can see why Matthijs de Ligt is the captain of this Ajax team…

Cool, calm and collected after such a monumental for the club 👏 pic.twitter.com/841dbroMaQ

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 16, 2019